TAPAS (Teaching Artists Presenting in Asheville Schools) is a creative community program that embodies the artistic culture of Asheville by training and placing local artists in Asheville City Schools for residencies spanning 1-12 days. Despite the richness of our community, few of the students living in poverty have access to the arts that are the hallmark of Asheville. Currently 48% of the more than 4,000 children in Asheville City Schools live in poverty. In three years, the TAPAS program has provided more than 300 days of artists in residence in our schools, trained more than 42 highly-qualified artists, and impacted directly more than 3000 students.

During the month of December, TAPAS artists will have the opportunity to showcase their own works with the gallery percentage benefiting the artist residency program. In homage to their work as teachers in local public schools, they will be showing off some of their personal favorite pieces as local artists during the aptly named show- “Show and Tell”. Artists presenting works include, Holly De Saillan, Audra Holden, Heather Allen Hietala, Scott David Smith, Carla Filippelli, Ginger Huebner, Joe Dinwiddie, Melissa Weiss, Chris Holt, and Brent Skidmore.

ABOUT TAPAS
TAPAS is a collaborative effort of the Asheville City Schools Foundation (ACSF), UNCA and LEAF Schools & Streets. One of the cornerstone activities of ACSF is to enhance the resources available to teachers and students through grant making.